1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wiring device incorporating electrical circuit-identifying indicia or legends, and more particularly, pertains to a wiring device incorporating means for identifying diverse electrical circuitry through the application onto the device of indicia or legends written onto an imprinted area of a contrasting color. Furthermore, the invention is also directed to a provision of a novel method of imparting an imprinted color contrasting background for indicia or legends to a wiring device for the purpose of being able to identify at least one electrical circuit or plurality of electrical circuits which is or are connected to the wiring device.
Wiring devices; such as for example, wall-mounted switches or receptacles which may incorporate plug-receiving structure have for many years been employed in the electrical industry, wherein a plurality of wiring devices are connected to a single electrical circuit so as to reduce or eliminate any danger of potentially exceeding rated circuit capacity by combined loads which are connected to the wiring devices. Consequently, fuses or circuit breakers or boxes may be equipped with a number of terminals for the purpose of connecting the wires from at least one or more of the wiring devices to an electrical power source in separate circuits, each circuit possessing a predetermined electrical current capacity which may not be exceeded in order to avoid the possibility of overloads leading to potential fire hazards.
Upon occasion, when it becomes necessary to either replace or repair exposed wiring of a wiring device, the circuit in which the wiring device is located, is normally deenergized by the opening of a circuit breaker or by removing a fuse and thereafter disconnecting the wire device from the power source in order to implement the desired servicing. Although this is generally a relatively simple procedure to accomplish for an experienced electrician or installer, it is not always readily possible to correctly identify the specific circuit to which a particular wiring device has been previously connected, and to which a wiring device is to be correctly reconnected.
Accordingly, it is essential to be able to provide some assurance that the appropriate wiring device and attendant electrical circuit has been disconnected from the electrical power source in order to facilitate the repair or replacement thereof, in complete safety. Heretofore various diverse methods have been employed in marking the wiring devices with an electrical circuit-identifying legend or the like.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The foregoing problem has been previously addressed, in particular, by the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,625,759 and 4,479,317, in which folded blanks were installed under the wall plate of a wiring device, and which carried a sliding member having circuit-identifying indicia provided thereon. The mounting of the sliding member facilitated movement in and out thereof without having to necessarily remove the wall plate.
In contrast with the foregoing, other publications set forth arrangements which included separate transparent plates incorporating panel structure providing for circuit identifying-indicia being installed in surrounding relationships about the wiring device; in essence, between the wall plate and the wall on which the wiring device was mounted. This arrangement required providing the identifying indicia on the inside of the wall plate by means of a felt-tipped pen or highlighting marker, which could be misinterpreted in the event that the wall plate was erroneously misplaced or incorrectly attached by an electrician.
More recently, the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,653 set forth a wiring device with an electrical circuit-identification structure wherein identifying legends or indicia were imparted to a separate sheet of paper or similar material which is adapted to be adhesively fastened to a surface area proximate a plug-receiving female socket structure of a wiring device which serves as a wall-mounted device adapted to be covered by a wall plate. However; the use of written-on separate pieces of paper similar types of delicate materials applied onto wiring devices frequently deteriorates; possibly due to moisture being entrapped under the wall plate, or because of other variable thermal and humidity conditions to which the electrical wiring device is subjected. This; in essence, may readily cause the electrical circuit-identifying indicia to become illegible are even to be completely destroyed, thereby negating the value thereof to an electrician or installer.